Telangana fallout: Groups call bandhs, blockades in Assam

Following the central government's decision on Telangana, several ethnic organisations and groups in Assam are calling bandhs and blockades to intensify their demands for statehood.

While the All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) has threatened to launch a mass movement for Bodoland, the All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union (AKRSU) has demanded Kamatapur state for the Koch Rajbongshi community.

The executive council of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) - being run by the Bodoland People's Front - has decided to adopt a resolution to demand creation of separate state.

A BTC delegation, led by Assam Tourism Minister Chandan Brahma and executive member Hagrama Mohilary, left for New Delhi Wednesday to meet union home department officials to express their views and exert pressure for Bodoland.

ABSU had already decided to agitate for separate state. "We are going to hold a 12-hour rail blockade on August 2. We have also called a 60-hour Assam bandh from August 5," said an ABSU leader.

AKRSU has called for a two-day Assam bandh from August 1 to intensify its long-standing demand for a separate state. "We will hold a fast-unto-death programme from August 15 if the central government ignores the Koch Rajbongshi community," said president Biswajit Rai.

Another nine organisations have intensified their agitation for separate state, involving two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.

The banned militant outfit - Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers (KPLT) - has urged Lok Sabha MP from Karbi Anglong, Biren Singh Ingty, to take up the issue of statehood in the monsoon session of parliament.

The outfit has also threatened an indefinite bandh in the two hill districts from August 12 if the MP failed to raise the issue in parliament.